Booth Tarkington (1869-1946), a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, published the first of his many novels, The Gentleman from Indiana, in 1899. He served a single tern in Indiana's House of Representatives in 1902-1903. His long and commercially successful literary career was divided between the writing of fiction and plays. Two of his novels, The Magnificent Ambersons and Alice Adams, were awarded the Pulitzer Prize. His Penrod books for young adults were widely popular in their time.

Thomas Mallon, editor, is the author of nine novels, including Watergate, Finale, and Fellow Travelers, and seven books of nonfiction. He is a regular contributor to The New Yorker and The New York Times Book Review.